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The biplanemers 2a,b contain enol ether substructures, which permit facile protonations of the π electron system. The subsequent ether cleavage is characterized by rearrangements of the polycyclic scaffold of the carbenium ions or the electroneutral primary products. Apart from the expected products 3a and 5a, a series of unexpected ketones and diketones (4a′, 9b, 10b, 11b, and 12b) were obtained.

Irradiation of 1,3,5-tris(3-phenylpropenoyl)benzene ( 1a ) yields in solution a dimer 2a by a threefold head-to-head/anti [2π+2π]cycloaddition. The stereochemistry of this [4.4.4](1,3,5)cyclophane was determined by 1H and 13C NMR studies including NOE measurements and a calculation of the AA′MM′ spin pattern of the methine protons. In contrast to the solution photochemistry, which is presumably controlled by the arrangement of an excimer, the irradiation in the crystalline state leads by a topochemical control to a dimer 3a , which contains a single four-membered ring.

The newly synthesized oligo(1,4-phenylenevinylene) series 2a–d with bis(2-hexyloctyl)amino groups as electron donors and 2,2-dicyanovinyl groups as electron acceptors represents conjugated oligomers with strong push–pull effects. Due to the decrease of the intramolecular charge transfer with increasing numbers of repeat units (n=1–4), the long-wavelength transition shows a particularly great hypsochromic shift for the extension of the chromophore.

(1 E ,5 E )-Cyclopentadeca-1,5-dien-3-yne ( 1c ), which represents the first macrocyclic 1,5-dien-3-yne, can be obtained by thermal- or butyllithium-induced fragmentation of the corresponding 1,2,3-selenadiazole 8 . The ( E , E )-dienyne functionality causes a geometrical strain E g , which enhances the reactivity in addition ( 1c → 12 , 13 ) and cycloaddition ( 1c → 10 ) reactions and lowers the isomerization barrier to the unstrained ( E , Z )-configuration 1d ( E g = 0). A slow process 1c → 1d occurs even at ambient temperatures within several weeks.

The tribenzo[a,e,i][12]annulene 10 and the corresponding twofold annulene 14 were prepared on synthetic routes which first led from suitably functionalised starting compounds (2, 11) to the 1,2-distyryl- and 1,2,3,4-tetrastyrylbenzene derivatives 9 and 13 with two and four formyl groups, respectively. The cyclisation to 10 and 14 was achieved by applying the McMurry reaction. The extended ring system of compound 14 represents a discotic mesogen. The generation of liquid crystals was obtained with eight hexyloxy chains on the periphery.

(Z)-Cyclodec-1-en-6-yne (3) generates three conjugated hexahydroazulenes 3→1k→1c, 1l under FVP conditions, whereas flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of cyclodecyne (2) leads to 1,2,9-decatriene (9). We attribute the different thermal behavior of 2 (ring opening) and 3 (ring closure) to different transannular interactions. Altogether 22 constitutional isomers of hexahydroazulene should exist; three new isomers (1k, 1l, and 1m) are presented here, ten were described earlier, but the reinvestigation of the dehydration route of bicyclic alcohol 11 showed that one of the ten structures has to be revised.

A direct biplanemer synthesis could be achieved by a quantitative [4π+4π]photocycloaddition of benzyloxy substituted benzene and naphthalene rings ( 3d , e ⇄ 4d , e ). Since the products do not show a thermal Cope rearrangement—in contrast to the related longicyclic conjugated 9,10-benzotricyclo[4.2.2.2 2,5 ]dodeca-3,7,9-trienes—but a quantitative reverse reaction, they are interesting systems for an optical switching.

The cyclophanes 6,8,10 and 13–15 were synthesized by cesium assisted ring closure reactions. The main interest in these systems concerns the interaction of the unsaturated bridge with the tolan and the stilbene chromophores, respectively.

We report on the synthesis of a novel type of squaraines ( 11a-f, 17c ) in which the conjugation of the chromophore is extended by stilbene units. These pigments exhibit absorption bands which have their maxima at the end on the Vis region and reach partly into the NIR.

The cyclophanes 2a,b, which contain a triple bond in the meta-bridge, were transformed to the allenes 3a,b by the action of bases or acids. A further isomerization yielded the dienes 4a,b with ( E,Z )- or ( Z,Z )-configuration.

2,3-Dihydrobenzo[b]thiophenes (7a-e) were prepared by the Rh2+ catalyzed reaction of 2H-1-benzothiete (1) and diazo compounds (3a-e). α,β-Unsaturated diazo esters (3b,e) and diazo ketones (3d,e) yielded additionally 4,5-dihydro-1-benzothiepins (11b,c) and 5H-4,1-benzoxathiepins (12d,e), respectively.

In a sequence of unexpected thermal rearrangements the strained monocyclic alkyne 4 is transformed into the tricyclic system 5 which yields in a flash vacuum pyrolysis again a monocyclic compound 10 .

The title compounds 4 and 8 are obtained by flash vacuum pyrolysis of the corresponding hydroxymethylthionaphthols 3 and 7. Whereas 4 shows a smooth ring opening on heating, 8 is thermally stable but reacts photochemically. The different behavior is explained on the basis of an MNDO calculation. The valence isomers 4′ and 8′ represent thioquinonemethides, which are highly reactive components in [12π + 2π]cycloaddition processes (4 → 9, 10, 11; 8 → 12).

The anthracenes 3a – c , substituted in the 9-position with 3,5-dialkoxybenzyloxymethyl groups exhibit, in diluted solutions, intramolecular [4π+4π] photocycloaddition reactions to the polycyclic compounds 4a – c . The quantitative processes are completely reversible by heating, unless acid-catalyzed cleavages lead to thermally stable mono- and diketones: 4a – c → 5a – c → 6 .

The strained dithiacycloalkynes 3a,b and the larger heterocyclic alkynes 3c and 4 are obtained by cesium assisted cyclization reactions of the dithiols 1a–c and 1,4-dibromo-2-butyne (2). The reactivity of 3a–c was studied in cycloaddition and complexation reactions generating the adducts 5a,b and 6 and the silver and cobalt complexes 7 and 8.

Alkoxy-substituted 4-methylbenzylideneanilines 2a-f and their pyrimidine analogues 2g,h show an efficient selfcondensation in the alkaline medium KOC(CH 3 ) 3 /DMF. The totally stereoselective reaction yields 3a-h which are transformed by acidic work-up to 4a-h . A narrow distribution of the molecular weight can be achieved.

Increasing steric hindrance in β-keto carboxylic acids leads to an increasing kinetic stability towards decarboxylation, till systems are reached which are completely stable at room temperature. Simultaneously the tautomeric equilibrium is changed in favour of the (Z)-enol, and finally in favour of the (E)-configurated enol.

Flash pyrolysis of the strained cyclic alkynes 1 leads to ring systems 2 with an exocyclic allene group and in a further isomerization step to the conjugated vinyl compounds 3 .

The reaction of trialkylphosphites or related P-nucleophiles with benzothiete (1) leads to zwitter ionic species, which show an Arbuzov - like rearrangement to the products 4 and 7, respectively. New heterocyclic ring systems are generated in the case of cyclic esters. The normal SN2 reaction leads to the 1:2 adducts 9, whereas in an SN1 process the 1:1 adduct 13 is formed.

Benzothiete ( 1 ) undergoes cycloaddition reactions with hetero dienophiles with NN-, NO- or CO- double bonds, leading to six-membered heterocyclic ring systems of 2H-3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-benzothiadiazine ( 3 ), 4H-3,1,2-benzoxathiazine ( 4 ) and 4H-3,1-benzoxathiin.